Asylum-seeking Armenian children allowed to remain

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government performed an abrupt U-turn Saturday and allowed two Armenian children whose bid for asylum had been rejected to remain in the Netherlands.

The decision came after the children, 12-year-old Lili and her brother, 13-year-old Howick, went into hiding ahead of their expected deportations. The government faced mounting disapproval of its original refusal to let the siblings remain in the country where they have lived for a decade.

The Ministry of Justice and Security said in a statement Saturday that while Dutch and Armenian authorities had worked hard to arrange a secure situation for the pair in Armenia, “recent developments” meant “the welfare and security of the children can no longer be sufficiently guaranteed.”

The statement added: “The state secretary has therefore, taking everything into account, decided that the children can remain in the Netherlands.”

It was not immediately clear whether their mother, who was deported to Armenia last year, would be allowed to return to join her children.

Earlier Saturday, Justice Ministry spokesman Maarten Molenbeek said the children ran away from a foster home overnight and police appealed for the public’s help in locating them. An Amsterdam court on Friday rejected a final bid to block their deportations, which had been scheduled for Saturday at the latest.

The Netherlands was once known as a welcoming nation for migrants but has become tougher in recent years as the number of arrivals soared. The government argues it has to strictly apply its immigration regulations. But authorities had been fiercely criticized by rights groups and supporters of Lili and Howick.